


A Little Twist

by Squidbitch



Category: The Penumbra Podcast
Genre: Alternate Universe - Role Reversal, I'm Bad At Tagging, M/M, Not Canon Compliant, Other, Rating May Change, Suicidal Thoughts
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-29
Updated: 2019-03-31
Packaged: 2019-07-20 12:31:29
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 16,142
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16137308
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Squidbitch/pseuds/Squidbitch
Summary: Role reversal au. Juno's a thief and Peter is a private eye.





	1. Chapter 1

Juno's been a thief as long as he can remember. When he was small he would nick things from other kids, and then he and Ben could even out the playing field. He doesn't gets caught almost as much as he never misses.  He's better at shooting than he is at stealing, but shooting isn't going to give him money, at least, as long as Juno feels so repulsed by killing. He might have some loose morals, and sure stealing might make those morals looser, but Juno's a lot of things. He's a lady with a temper, and a piece of shit. He's a good cook, a “collector” of bad art, a thief, a punk, an asshole. But he isn't a mercenary, and he doesn't plan on ever trying it out.

Juno doesn't have a lot of friends, but in his profession he's learned that it’s easier to steal from someone if they think you're the very last person who would do so. He's a grouchy person at heart, but more often than not he keeps his reins in. Everything is very much easier when you're charming. It isn't who Juno is, he isn't charming and he doesn't like flattering people because it doesn't feel _right_ for him, but he has to if he's going to make a living. A large part of the con, though, has to be truth. So when he makes snide comments he usually means them, and people _like_ that. People like people who are riddled with truth, who speak their mind. Juno speaks his mind, makes jokes. They don't like _him_ , of course. They like the man who's putting on a show, and he can't blame them.

Everyone's always liked Benten better. Even years later, sometimes Juno feels himself talking like Ben, because he knows what people like, and people don't like Juno. Even the Juno that's right in front of them, has to dip into Benten's personality just a bit in order to be charming.

Juno Steel is everything he doesn't want to be. That might be a tad over-dramatic, but there's a part of him that knows it's just a little bit true.

This is Juno's life. He lives off of what he steals, and doesn't live all that well. He wants better. He always wants what he doesn't deserve, and he doesn't deserve a roof over his head, nor a clean bed. He doesn't deserve meals and clean clothes.

He'll get what he deserves one day.

* * *

 

Normally Juno's fingers are like ghosts. So scarce it could have been a breath. He pickpockets people ritually. Every day, all the time. Pass by a wealthy looking person walking down the street, and they won't know their wallet (and maybe some jewelry) is gone until he gets home. They won't remember Juno, because he won't have a reason to. Just another lady walking down the street as a pedestrian.

Again, that's how they _normally_ are. Today, though, something strange happens. There's an older man walking down the street, with a shirt that probably costs more than Juno's apartment, and a jacket that probably costs twice that amount. His wallet is hanging haphazardly from his pocket. Juno knows an easy mark when he sees one. Just barely, his fingers graze the wallet and it falls into his hand. If the man felt anything at all, he should think that it was the movement of his walking.

It's been about a decade since Juno's been caught stealing anything. So when the man grabs Juno's hand, he is very uncertain on what to do. Now that he's closer, he notices how old he is. The kind of old that's withered but strong. Like he's had a long life fighting, and he doesn't want to stop now. Something about him, though, is entirely too familiar. The look in his eye, and the watch on his wrist. Juno feels like he knows him, and he thrives off of his memories. He wouldn't be a very good thief if he couldn't memorize his mistakes, or remember the exact time of certain things. The man looks at him like he was expecting to get pickpocketed by this specific lady. Juno doesn't like that at _all_.

“You should get a drink with me, Juno.” The man knows his name. _That_ puts him on edge. It's not like his name is a secret, but if every guy he steals from knows his name… that would be _very_ bad for business.

Juno wrenches his arm away, and glares at him. Part of it is from embarrassment. He hasn't felt this way since his mom caught him stealing drugs from her purse. “Not really in the mood-”

“I wasn't asking.” The man says bluntly. 

Part of Juno is telling him to run away right now, and not look back. That he will be ten times safer if he goes back to his hotel and drinks to forget all about it, and deal with his hangover in the morning. Another part of him is drawn towards the mystery. The not knowing feels like an itch he can't quite reach. He bites his cheek and contemplates. This guy might kill him. Juno looks around. He has to be smart about this if he wants to get to the bottom of it. “Public place.” He demands.

“Smart,” He says gruffly. “The bar on Canelious Avenue, seven pm.”

"Name?"

"Ramses O'Flaherty."

Juno doesn't nod, or give any indication that he heard him. He keeps walking, with his hands now in his pockets, and his mind running a mile a minute.

It's been a long time since Juno's been in Hyperion City, and just as long since he's been on Mars. He mostly came back because its getting to be that time of the year, and he needed to. Another reason is the fact that Rita begged him to come and stay there for a few days. He might not have a lot of friends, but he considers Rita one of them. The real reason (that he tells himself, at least) that he came back is because of a certain Xenoanthropologist who wanted a mask. Luckily he has a friend named Cassandra Kanagawa, who was very close to it. He'll be stopping by her mansion tomorrow, the rest of his day today-apparently-has plans to meet up with a familiar man, who's name is Ramses O'Flaherty. 


	2. Chapter 2

The bar that man had picked made Ramses stick out like a sore thumb. Even if it wasn't one of the poorest bars in Hyperion, it still seemed like the kind of place that a high class guy like him wouldn't even glance at. 

“What would you like, Mr. Steel?” 

Juno wrinkles his nose at the man in front of him. “I'd really like you to tell me what you want, but I'll settle for whiskey if you're buying.” Ramses O’Flaherty is his name, and Juno's mind is going a mile a minute on what his game could be. He's been caught stealing a handful of times, and not one of those times have ever been like this. Sure, people have asked him out for a drink, but usually it's not right after he picks their pocket. 

He has this gruff voice, and aura like he knows more than anyone else. Like anyone could tell him something, and he'd know more about it than the person who created it. “You'll be happy to know that I can give you both of those.”

He tells the bartender, and directs his attention toward Juno. 

Juno doesn't like how familiar his eyes look. Like he saw them in a movie, but he can't pinpoint which one. The bartender hands him a glass, and he he downs it quickly. “So?” Juno prompts, leaning against the table. “What do you want?”

“I want to help you.” Ramses says as the bartender fills his glass. “You wouldn't pickpocket people if you didn't need money, and I would love to give you just that.” He says, eyes twinkling with interest. 

“You offering me a job?” Juno asks. 

Ramses laughs, but there isn't any amusement in it. “I know who you are. You're from Oldtown, you've been poor your entire life, and you think that someone like you can make a living is through stealing. You were a cop for a long time, but it wasn't work-”

“I don't need your goddamn charity.” Juno snaps at him. “Look, I don't know who the hell you are, or how you know me, and right now I don't give a fuck. I don't care about money or “honest living” or anything like that. I do what I do because I  _ want to.  _ If you don't wanna gimme a job, that's fine, but I'm not your pity project.” Juno stood up, drank down his last glass of whiskey, and turns to leave. He knows Ramses isn't going to ask him to stay, or snitch. He might not know Ramses well, but he knows that. Maybe it's just Juno that he won't snitch on, or maybe it's just who he is. “Thanks for the drinks.” He says in a clipped tone. 

“You're throwing away an opportunity here, Juno. You know that, right?”

Juno looks back at him. He pretends for a second that he's reconsidering, then he slaps his forehead like he realized something, and flips him off. He walks out the door, and makes his way to Rita's house. 

 

He sits on her couch as she talks. “And so anyways, I saw that my stream had been cut off for some real big news!” She says excitedly. “At first I was a teensy bit mad, because you  _ know  _ how I am about Amelia's Road to Love! Did you know that she just met this new girl, and don't quote me on this, but I'm pretty sure she's the one. I know what you're gonna say, but I  _ really _ think so this time!” She waves her hand like a fly got I'm her face, and she gets back on topic. “But the big news was about Croesus Kanagawa!”

Juno snorted, a small smile playing on his face. Coming to Rita's place always changed his mood. Sometimes she was the very thing that made his head go mile a minute. But sometimes her babbling grounded him in a way no one else ever could. “Isn't there  _ always  _ something new about Croesus? Public probably goes haywire everytime he takes a shit.”

Rita gave out a loud, tight laugh. “But it was real crazy this time Mista Steel!” She explains. “Apparently he  _ died _ .*

Juno immediately shoots up from his seat. Croesus Kanagawa was  _ dead _ ? Juno knows that the guy had to die at some point. Everyone does. It just feels so strange. He's met the man before, performed a few jobs for him. Not necessarily the kind of guy Juno would have fun with, or do anything with, but it feels strange knowing that he's just gone. “How did he die?” Juno asks. If it was a homicide their security will be up, and the place will be packed. That's not good, considering the fact that he needs to steal a very valuable object from them. 

Rita shrugs. “Not sure, they haven't disclosed it to the public yet.” She stuffs a snack (God knows what it is) into her mouth and starts talking with her mouth full. “I mean you are Cassie's friend, maybe you should give your condolences or somethin’.”

Juno thinks about grabbing one of the snacks, but then thinks better of it. Whatever Rita's eating will probably kill him. “Not a bad idea, Rita.” He shrugs. It's true. He might be able to get close enough to steal the mask, and if he can't do it while he's visiting, he'll at least be able to scope the place out. 

Rita gasps suddenly remembering something. An inexperienced person would be worried that she was going to hurt herself, gasping so hard. Juno's seen it too many times to worry anymore. “Mista  _ Steel!  _ It's ladies night out! We gotta do somethin’ fun or exciting! Or dangerous! One of those! But not too dangerous! I think I gotta real pretty face, and I ain't all that keen on messin’ it up.” She starts chattering on what she wants to do excitedly, jumping up in her seat happily. 

“Honestly, Rita,” Juno says, pulling at the strings in the couch. “I kinda wanna watch a movie. I gotta big day tomorrow, and my day today was stupid, so...” What he  _ really _ wants to do is go to his hotel, hide under the sheets and wallow in how bad he wishes he was dead. But if he can make Rita a little happier, he supposes he can suffer through it. 

 

He's going to go back to the movie in just a second, he just has to get this popcorn really quick. “Don't tell me not to get the caramel on the floors, it's already stickier than a kid at a carnival.” Juno leans against the counter, shifting his weight to his elbows, and cocking his head to see the other snacks. 

He can feel the presence of a person behind him. He can feel their eyes on him as he waits for the popcorn to pop. He wrinkles his nose. “Don't your eyes got somewhere else to be?” He snaps, as he turns around. The man is lean and tall, with a predatory smirk, and a fox's teeth. With Juno's back against the counter, and the man closer than he should be, he feels trapped. This guy has a look in his eyes like he'd kill Juno without a second thought. Juno finds all that  _ extremely  _ attractive. 

The guy waves at the person tending the popcorn, and smiles with those sharp teeth. “Actually, this lady’s getting his popcorn paid for by me.” Then he looks down at Juno with eyes that are dark with mystery or knowing, and bright with something else. “Would that be alright, darling?”

Juno's ears heat up a little, and he stammers. “Yeah, fine, but if you're buying throw in some of that sour shit. My friend likes snack that'll ruin your mouth for a week.”

Then man raises his eyebrows just a bit and says: “you heard him, and do be quick.”

 

Later, when Juno's still in the theatre, the guy sits next to Rita, and charms his way into her heart. They smile like new best friends, and Juno is  _ so _ not jealous. Of who he's  _ not _ jealous of, he isn't certain. “My name is Rex Glass. It's lovely to meet the two of you.” He says. After a while, when they finish the popcorn, Rex comes back, sitting next to Juno. Their shoulders brush so soft and quick he could've imagined it. 

After the movie, Rex smiles at the two of them happily, and they chat about it. “I did  _ not _ see that ending coming, guys!” Rita bubbles up. “I mean, imagine being Tony in that situation!”

“You've watched it  _ four times _ .” Juno reminds her. 

“It gets me everytime!”

Rex laughs at the two of them talking. It's strange that they've only known each other for a few hours, and he feels easy to talk to. “Would either of you ladies need a ride home? The streets of Hyperion  _ really  _ aren't safe this late out.”

Juno snorts and tips his head up to look at him. “We just met you, are we sure  _ you're _ safe?”

“Mista  _ STEEL! _ ” Rita screeches. “He's bein’ a gentleman!”

The two stop to look at him. Glass, with his glasses(ha) sliding down his nose a tiny amount, his eyes telling him that he'll buzz off as soon as the word arises. Meanwhile Rita's looking at him indignantly, like saying no would be sacrilegious. Juno rolls his eyes petulantly. “ _ Fine. _ ” He says. “But only because I don't have enough money for a taxi.”

Rex beams, and walks them to his car. He drops Rita off first, and Juno's in the passenger seat. He see's Rex's eyes flick to his thighs when they're at a red light. Juno shifts them to give him a better view from under his skirt. An entirely mundane action to anyone who isn't as perceptive as Juno. He thinks that Rex doesn't even muse the thought that Juno did it on purpose. 

Rex goes to the other side of the car, and gets the door for Juno when he steps out. Juno isn't naive, and he's not stupid. This guy totally has a thing for him, and he'll be damned if he doesn't at least have a real conversation with this guy. “You wanna come up to my hotel?” He asks, no flirtatious tone or seductive motives. It's been a while since a guy has seemed to want more than to get into Juno's pants. He really doesn't want to spoil it. He wouldn't  _ mind _ fucking this guy, of course, but there's more to it than that. He likes connection with other people, not just mindless sex. 

Rex smiles kindly. “I would be delighted.”

They make their way up to Juno's hotel. The place is already pretty messy. Juno doesn't think that he'll be staying here too long, though, so he doesn't go to the trouble of cleaning it. Juno kicks away a pile of laundry, and sits at the table, grabbing some alcohol. He drinks the vodka straight from the bottle. Glass sits across from him, and looks at him like he threw some salt one day and made the stars. 

“You know,” He starts, leaning across the table and smiling softly. Openly, like it's the easiest thing to do. “When you asked me earlier if my eyes had anywhere else to be, I can't say that they did.”

Something about the way he says it. For such a cheesy, cute line to be wasted on  _ Juno _ of all people. It makes something not unlike joy crawl up from his chest, and then he's try to force down a smile. He wants to say something sweet and lovely back, something straight out of Rita's streams. “So you've got pick up lines. Real classy.” He says instead, because Juno isn't in a stream, and it's been a little while since he could be himself. Glass drums his fingers on the table contemplatively. 

“I think of it less as pick up lines and more as truth.” he flicks a piece of hair out of his face daintily and smiles that wicked smile. “As for class, Juno, I think you have enough for the two of us.”

It's been a while since Juno could banter with someone like this, clever, witty, just on the edge of idiotic. “So what do you do?” Juno asks. “Like-job wise.”

Rex looks a little startled at the subject change, but rolls with it. “I'm a private investigator.”

Juno whistles, and raises his eyebrows, impressed. “In a city like this, you must get a lot of business.”

“I do well.”

“Your car tells me you're doing better than  _ well _ .”

Rex laughs. “Yes, I think so.” He says, cocking his head. “I'm one of the best at what I do, after all.” He admits, and he looks proud of it. He should be, Juno hasn't ever been a PI, but he's guessing it's a whole lot of work for a lot less payoff. 

“You working on a case right now?” Juno asks. 

Glass smirks at him. “My mind is more set on you, Juno.” He snorts at that. “Although I have been investigating the death of Croesus Kanagawa.”

Juno whistles again. “Damn, you really go for the higher ups, don't you?”

“It  _ does _ pay the bills well.”

“When are you going over to do all your  _ investigating _ ?” Juno wonders aloud. If he's privately investigating, then he's got access to their mansion, probably even the tomb where Rita said Croesus died. Probably the room leading to the mask! Juno's fingers are itching at the thought of getting something like that. Juno shifts in his seat, leans lower to the table so that his shirt drops low enough for Rex to see his stomach. 

“Tomorrow. Around noon.” Glass admits, his eyes looking down to see the skin put on display in front of him. 

Juno tilts his head, let's his curls draw attention to his neck, his jawline, and looks at Rex Glass from under his lashes. “Mind if I go with you? I think we could have some  _ fun _ together.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The uhhhhh grims mask case.

“Grim's mask.” Nureyev says as he sits at his desk. “Quite the story as of late. The public can't seem to get enough of it.”

Juno's reading the case file, he flicks the page daintily. He's wearing a sleeveless crop top that shows off his shoulders rather well. Then shorts that make his legs much more noticeable. Juno wears a lot of jewelry, and none of it's fancy. An assortment of ear piercings, his crop top let's him see his belly button ring, eyebrow, lip, in his left nostril, and Peter is pretty sure that his nipples are too. He hasn't seen them yet, but he dearly wants to. “A ghost, huh?” Juno mutters. “I'm a lot of things, but I ain't an Exorcist. You really believe this shit, Glass?”

There's something about the way Juno says his alias. He's been going as Rex Glass for a decade, and he always answers to it. Somehow, though, it feels wrong on Juno's pierced lips. He thinks that Peter would sound so pretty coming from Juno, and he hasn't the faintest idea why. “I do believe in the supernatural at times, Juno.” He says happily. “There are phenomenon that the universe can't explain, why some objects bring bad luck or misery wherever they go, why some objects seem to bring people… closer.” As he says this, he leans across the table just enough to get into Juno's space. He's being obvious and he knows it, but is that really such a bad thing? 

Juno smirks at him, and leans close too. “How _forward_ , detective. Keep goin’?”

“Well!” Peter says, feeling flustered, but he became charming for a reason. He doesn't let it show. Though there's something about Juno that makes him want to show things around him. It feels so natural that he almost does. “Although I personally do not believe it, I think I can gather quite a bit of clues by inspecting where it was said that Grim’s mask resided.” he could honestly not care less about the case at the moment. Any other person, and Peter would have already made a move showing that he doesn't care about it in particular doing any researching for the next few hours, and he would much rather pin Juno against the desk to have a much more athletic few hours. “If we were to come across it, though, it would contain animal bones, serrated glass-”

Juno makes a noise of disgust and wrinkles his nose. “Don't need details. Pretty sure we'll know it when we see it.”

Peter laughs. “Not afraid of a little blood, are you?” He likes joking with Juno this way. In a way that feels less like Rex Glass and more like himself. It's been a while since he could differentiate between the two. 

Juno scowls a little and wrinkles his nose a bit more. “Yeah, well, not a lot of people like seeing it.”

“I suppose that's true, darling.” he watches Juno take a sip from his drink. Something about the way his throat contracts makes Peter's mouth go dry. He swallows subtly, and smiles. “Any last minute preparations? I'm thinking we should leave in about an hour.”

Juno puts it down and shrugs. “Guess I could powder my nose real quick just to get outta your hair. Not like we're tryin’ to look crazy good, though.”

Peter grins a little wider, he can see Juno's eyes flick down to his sharp teeth. “On the contrary, Mr. Steel, I quite like your company. In fact, I would love to know more about you.” With anyone else he would stroke a finger over his knee. He hasn't felt this way since he was back on Brahma. The want to do something, yet too afraid to do so, because he's worried he'll ruin it. There's also the fact that he may be a simple man, with wants and desires, but he's also classy. Sure, it's not like he hasn't ever just gone straight to sex, but he likes the way things are at this very second. No rushed chemistry just chatting and learning the signals that Juno Steel gives off. The slight smell of alcohol on his breath. His curls shining under the light on Peter's desk. His piercings more enunciating, than interrupting the refined beauty in the way all of him comes together just so. 

There's something hypnotic about the way Juno leans forward, suspicion in his eye, like no one has ever complimented him without immediately wanting to screw him over, like life has taught him different. He presses his elbows into the table and his chin goes into his hands. “So what do you want to know?”

“That depends,” Peter counters, “what do you want to tell me?”

Juno quirks an eyebrow again, and cocks his head. “Let's do simple questions. Favorites, stories, whatever. One of us asks a question. Then we both answer, got it? Hit me.”

So the game starts. Peter wants to be able to know the gritty details of this man's life, but he doesn't want to be obvious about that. “Hm,” He mulls as he catches Juno's eyes. They suspend him for a second. Not long enough for anyone to notice, but long enough to make him feel his heart in his chest, and god they're so pretty in the dim light of his office. “Let us start then. What is your favorite food?”

“Easy, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.” Juno says off handedly. 

Peter blinks. Not the answer he was expecting. “Ah, well mine would have to be a very sweet delicacy on Brahma called ehlmio.” 

Juno nods. “Never been to Brahma.” He admits. “Maybe I will one day. Oh! How about where you grew up?” 

Peter chews the inside of his cheek. He's already told Juno that his favorite food originates from Brahma. How bad could it be for him to know he grew up there? It's not like he knows that Rex Glass is an alias. Even if he did, there are loads of people who wanted to escape Brahma. It's a small risk. Not one he usually takes. Actually, not one that he's ever taken. It requires the sort of honesty that he's thrown away. Yet there's something about Juno that makes him ache to tell the truth. “Brahma.” He says. Then it's out, and adrenaline rushes through him like a drug. Not that he would ever know. 

Juno snaps his fingers. “That must be where the accent is from. I was born here in Hyperion city. Grew up in Old Town.”

Peter believes it. He can hear the shards of an accent that can only come from the street. The hard cold surety in his voice, and that's to say nothing of the scars that adorn his body like lace. Tasteful, but so refined. Part of him wants to stay far far away from that sort of complication. The other part- the part that made him register as a P.I, the part that saved New Kinshasa- yearns to touch him. To feel those scars underneath the soft pads of his own fingers, and-

No. He stops himself. He can flirt and get to know as much as he can about Juno Steel, but he won't get that close. He has a job to do, and he's never been the kind of man to turn down that kind of money. 

Yet there's something in the curve of Juno's shoulders to his ribs, to his stomach. Something about the way Juno's silver eyes look back at him with stubbornness and indignation. Something about Juno Steel. “Alright then.” Peter says. “Have you ever been outside of Hyperion City?”

Juno's shrugs, but it's obvious that he's proud of himself about this. “I been to a lot of places, but I'm not the kind of lady to stick to one place anymore.”

Peter hums in approval. “I used to travel quite a bit, but after I turned twenty I decided to make this place my home.”

“Why?”

There's an instinct in his mind, that knows he should lie. He's relied on it for years. The idiotic part of him wants to tell Juno all about Mag, and how all that traveling felt too much like he was still with him. That he made Hyperion City his home out of the fact that he saw its flaws, and wanted to make it a better place. “I'm not sure.” He lies, a laugh slipping from his throat. “I suppose I just thought it was best for me.”

Juno looks him in the eyes, and he feels raw, analyzed in a way that he's only done to himself. For a second Peter thinks he's going to call his bluff. “Hobbies?” he says instead. 

“I like to write.” He admits. “Poetry mostly, but I'm much more interested in yours.”

Juno shrugs again, looking like he knows the answer but doesn't want to tell it. “Not much actually. I used to dance… a long time ago.”

“Maybe one day I'll see it?” Peter wonders aloud. 

“Don't get your hopes up.” Juno flicks his eyes towards the clock. “We got time for one more question.”

Peter can hardly think of anything else, so he picks something easy and light. “Ah, do you have any siblings?” 

Juno bites the inside of his cheek. “I-” Tension wraps itself around his shoulders. His brow furrows, and he looks out the window. “Hard question to answer.” He says in a small voice. “No, I guess not.”

Peter doesn't know what to think of the obvious change in emotion. “Juno, are you-”

“Fine.” He says, but his voice sounds small. “How about we go ahead and get started on this case?”

 

“Detective Glass, I'm sure the Kanagawas were expecting me?” 

“And if they weren't,” Juno says, as he walks next to him. His hip brushes against him, and the points of their contact sends electricity to his brain. “Just tell ‘em Juno's here.”

A quick call, and Cass Kanagawa greets them. She goes up to Juno and grins at him. 

 

“C'mon, Juno, don't be so grouchy, we used to have fun.”

"We mighta called it fun, but the doc calls it alcohol poisoning.”

 

They're running down the hall like these steps will be their last. Juno's got one hand clinging to Peter's, and he would take a moment to marvel at the soft, but rough skin gripping his own. Sadly he is otherwise occupied at the moment. 

Then Juno runs straight into a wall. “It.. Stopped.” Peter gasps. 

“Yeah, I can tell.” He looks at the thing skeptically as his voice cracks. “Only question is why.”

Peter shoots him a look. “Is that really what you're confused about Juno?”

“It's getting closer.” He says incredulously. Then something seems to lock into place, like a pick in a keyhole. “Hit me.” He demands, looking right up at Peter. 

Nureyev looks nervously as it gets closer. He would love to pick the lock that their backs are to, but he's afraid that if he looks away for a second, Juno will be torn to shreds. “Juno, I can't-”

“God, do I have to do everything myself?!” Then he reels his fist back before Peter can stop him, and hits himself in the face. 

“That was… entertaining I suppose.”

“Entertainment is what it wants, so you hit me. A guy hitting himself gets real old real quick.”

He doesn't want to but he punches Juno lightly. Enough that to an outsider it would seem hard, but he knows differently. Sadly Juno isn't as quick on the uptake, and they don't have enough time for him to explain it. 

“You kidding? That was nothing!” He says angrily. 

“Juno, this is the strangest-”

“Hit me!”

So Peter does, hard enough to satisfy Juno. “Okay, again, and let's move closer to the door.”

“I think you should hit me now-”

“Just do it!”

Juno's back is close to the door now, and Peter hits him a few more times while his hands are behind his back, picking the lock. They run in, and slam the door shut. 

 

Sitting down, jaws of death, Cass becoming the murderer. He can see Juno bite the inside of his cheek as he comes to the conclusion that's been set before them. His brow knits in his frustration, and if it weren't for all the blood, Peter would be inclined to compliment how pretty he looks while he's angry. 

Juno stumbles and Peter catches him. “Hey Rex,” Juno says, soft, and not-quite-there. “Has anybody ever told you, you gotta nice smell?” He asks. Peter's ears burn with his blush. That perfume is one of the only things that he gets specifically from Brahma, call it a sentimental souvenir. “What's a guy gotta eat to smell like that?”

His breath catches in his throat, and he lets himself imagine himself with Juno. Drunken nights with fancy wine that one of them stole, laying on Peter's couch. He dreams of Juno's voice dipping into his ear, soft as a song, complimenting him like how he is right now. “It's-” a grin breaks across his face, because he can't help it. “ It's cologne, Juno.”

“Hm,” Juno mulls. “Never tried eating cologne before.” Then he smiles a devastatingly handsome smile like he isn't bleeding out on fancy carpet. “Have fun with your first aid kit.”

Peter ducks into the room for just a second, still grinning. His heart is _pounding._  

 

Peter laughs when they get back to his car. He's been infatuated with this lady for two days, and he loves every part he's seen. The angry-at-injustice part that hates that his friend is getting locked away. The man with his walls up, trying to avoid personal topics. The case went swimmingly. Although Juno would beg to differ, the mask is going to the registry, and even if Juno's upset he leans towards Peter in the car. 

“Thanks for bringing me.” He says, his head cocked, letting him see the sharp cut of his jawline. 

He's a goddess, if Peter's ever seen one, and suddenly he is _breathless._ His lips are parted just so, and there's a stark paint of that lipstick Cecil put on him. He wants to kiss the color away. “Maybe now you can bring me somewhere more _exciting.”_

Peter licks his lips, let's himself stay entranced for long seconds, and steps on the gas. 

 


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: There's like a heavy make out sesh. And it's pretty sexual, but u could probably skip it if its not ur thing. There's drinking and all that.

Juno doesn't seem to care that he's in someone else's apartment, just grabs the alcohol from the counter, and drinks Absinthe straight from the bottle. He looks sad, or troubled, or both, but subtle, like he doesn't want Peter to know. “Juno,” Peter says. “We did nothing wrong, she did still kill her father.” he takes the hand that isn't around the neck of the bottle, and presses it to his lips. Juno just sighs softly.

“You know, you're very handsome when you're like this.” Peter admits, he leads Juno til he's standing.

Juno wrinkles his nose.

“What, getting drunker by the second?” He looks up at Peter with indignation in his eyes.

“Morally outraged.” He mends, sliding a hand against his waist. “Look at him.” Peter continues, stroking his other hand on his jawline. “Standing up against the big, mean world, and laughing. It's so futile, and foolish, and… _sexy_.” Juno widens his eyes and looks up at him, then lifts to his toes.

Juno brushes his lips close to Peter's ear. “I really shouldn't be so upset about it.” Something like that has no right to sound so sensual. Yet it does, Juno's body pressing against his. “Maybe you could take my mind off it.” He whispers. Then Juno pulls back, and for a second Peter thinks he's going to kiss him, he even tightens his hands on his hips in anticipation. Juno's lips are so close to his, he can feel the heat radiating off of him. “Well?” Juno says, a laugh in his throat, and Peter feels a knot of want tie in his stomach. “You talk a lot, you wanna start showing me some _action?_ ”

Peter kisses him on the mouth, and Juno sinks his fingers into Peter's hair. They tilt their heads to fit against one another, and Juno opens his mouth. Peter doesn’t rush it. He wants to take his time with Juno. It seems the other man doesn't care about taking things slow, though, because he pulls Peter forward by his hair and kisses him fiercely, sucking on his tongue, pressing his lip between his teeth so that Peter can nip at it. He teeth graze at his piercing, and it sends a shiver down Peter's spine.

Peter’s hand that's been gripping at his hip, pulling him closer, closer, closer, reaches around to grab his ass.

Juno gasps, and backs himself into the table so that Peter can kiss him harder there. Peter pulls away to press kisses into his collarbone, and then biting at his pulse point. “ _Rex_ ,” Juno pants.

“Juno,” He murmurs back into his ear.

 

* * *

 

Juno slips one hand into Rex's pocket, and carefully slides the key into his hand. Juno pants hot and heavy next to his ear, as Glass nips at his neck. Then he pulls away. “Juno,” Rex says again, this time disappointed. That's when Juno knows he's been caught. Then there's the click of handcuffs, and Juno feels his heart sink. _Damn it,_ Juno thinks, _everything was going so well, too_. “Oh!” Juno laughs, like he doesn't know what's going on. “A little soon, Rex, not that I'm com-”

Glass pulls out a comms, and presses a button. “HCPD is on their way, Juno, I should have known you were a thief.”

“You wanna tell me how you figured it out?” Juno asks, and he really tries to put some stubborn anger in his voice, but he feels too guilty.

Glass's brow crinkles delicately. “The clues were there since the beginning. How badly you wanted to go on the case with me, how little interest you pretended to show towards the mask. The one thing that really seems to show it happens to be the fact that you stole the keys to my safe.” Glass pulls them out of Juno's pocket, and dangles them in front of his face. Juno can't help biting his lip in his guilt. “I must admit that you're quite a talented thief, anyone else might not have noticed at all.”

“Glass.” Juno sighs angrily. “Listen, it's not like I did all of this specifically to screw you over, I just have a job to do, y'know?”

Glass seems to get a little more upset. “Why did you kiss me then?” He asks, like a child told they had to cancel plans. “You could have stolen it from the Kanagawas while no one was looking. Why go to the trouble?”

Juno's pretty startled by that question. He bites his lip and looks away. He can feel his cheeks heating up. He must look like such a stupid middle schooler right now. “Because I wanted to.” Juno grumbles. “I like you, okay? Just-i guess it was killing two birds with one stone or somethin.”

Glass lets out a long, frustrated sigh. “Who are you?” He asks. “Who are you really?”

“My name really is Juno Steel.” He says, and _god_ he sounds like such a defensive brat. “Everything I told you was the truth. It's just my work or whatever.”

Glass looks at Juno contemplatively, before pulling out a key, and unlocking the handcuffs. Juno looks up at him in surprise. “What are you-”

“Do grab the mask, I could change mind at any moment.”

Juno's got no idea what the hell is going on, but Glass unlocks the safe, and he grabs it. “What are you gonna tell the HCPD?”

Rex shakes his head. “That the thief got away. That I couldn't catch him.”

Juno grabs his hand and looks up at him, and he doesn't give a shit if he looks desperate right now. “You could come with me. Min isn't gonna give you an easy time after all this.”

Rex squeezes his hand back and shakes his head. “No, darling, as much as I want to, I've built a home here.” He looks out the window sadly. “I'm not going to throw all of it away.”

Juno wants to argue, tell him that Hyperion city's got a pretty skyline and an ugly reality. But he can't. He sighs hard. “Don't tell anyone that I was the thief?” He questions.

Rex pulls a paper that had somehow appeared from thin air, Juno didn't see him writing it but he can see that there are words on it. He shoves it into Juno's hand. “I'll keep your secret if you keep mine, Juno Steel. Now go.”

Juno's out the window, and down the fire escape in a matter of seconds. He calls a taxi, and he swears those aren't tears stinging his eyes. He can't pretend anymore when hot tears slide down his cheeks, and the taxi driver hands him a tissue.

“You okay, ma'am?” He asks.

Juno doesn't say anything back for a while, too scared to hear the sob in his throat unravel. He swallows after a while and gives out a small tiny word, in a smaller voice. “Yeah.”

He goes to his hotel. The cops aren't looking for him so he'll be safe if he lays low for a day.

The weight of the mask in his pocket shouldn't feel so heavy, but it feels as though it's burning a hole into his coat. He takes it out as soon as he can, and puts it into a duffel bag. He'll give it to Miasma tomorrow. He'd made arrangements with her before he even started. He sits down, and pulls out the piece of paper.

_I'll keep your secret if you keep mine, Juno Steel._

He wants to open it already, but what if it's something bad? What if he's a terrible person, convicted of terrible things?

 _Well,_ a part of his mind laughs at him, _then he's no different from you, is he_?  

The suspense is killing him. He _has_ to know. He opens the piece of paper with shaky hands and it reads.

_Dear Juno,_

_In the past few days I have learned who you are, and learned about myself as well. You have galaxies to get to, as you are a shining star against all this darkness. Perhaps missing you is the least of my worries, but then, I never have had good judgement in that department._

_Do not take this as a goodbye. After all the universe is a small place, and as much as I would love to explore it with you I have my work that I am dedicated to._

_Maybe one day I can be dedicated to you too. I do hope so._

_Signed, your better half,_

_Peter Nureyev_

Something inside Juno's chest unfurls, and squeezes his heart. Part of him is sad, because being with Peter Nureyev is probably something he can't do. But one day maybe they will galavant the galaxies together.

Juno can't stop the grin from stretching across his face. Mischief dances in his mind. 

Who knows what kind of trouble they could cause?


	5. Chapter 5

“Miasma?” Juno says, he fidgets. “What are you gonna do with the Purus Egg?”

“Isn't it obvious, thief?” She turns to him with that face that makes his stomach turn. “I'm going to kill everyone on Mars.”

Juno bites the inside of his cheek to keep from saying something stupid like “I _knew there was something wrong about you”_ Or “ _why would you ever wanna do that, you monster?”_ Or “ _this is my home planet.”_ instead he composes himself and gives a loose laugh and a smile. “Tell me when you do, I don't wanna be here when it happens.”

* * *

 

“Nureyev! C'mon, wake up!”

Peter opens one eye groggily. Then he hears his name, it takes a second before he realizes it's _his name,_ and he shoots up where he's sitting. His forehead connects with someone's nose. “Who-”

“Ow!” Juno says, leaning back, and holding his nose. He's sitting on his lap. Peter flushes upon seeing him. He can feel the pressure of his weight around his waist. Part of him wants to hold him there.

“Juno!” There is so much about this situation that he wants to ask questions about. But first things first. “What are you doing here? If you wanted to be in this position, you need only ask-”

“I need your help.” Juno admits. “This woman that I'm working for, she's got some real bad plans and I need you to help me stop them.”

Peter _just_ **_unwillingly_** woke up, he really doesn't have time for this. “I'm sorry Juno, but that doesn't sound very interesting.”

Juno looks extremely angry, and in the light filtering through the window, it's a good look on him. “Does the end of the world sound more _interesting_?”

Peter blinks a few times, trying to process the information. Juno shifts where he's sitting slightly so he can look him in the eyes better, Peter’s brain short circuits as Juno's bare thigh makes contact with his naked side and he swallows. “Alright, I will help you, now will you please tell me what you're doing on my lap?”

Juno wrinkles his nose. “I was shaking you and moving your face and stuff. _Trying to get you up_ , smart guy. You're a heavy sleeper, was just about to pour some water on your face. I coulda slapped you, but I'm a pacifist.” He rolls off his lap, and sits on his bed, making himself at home. Still the same Juno Steel that drank his expensive alcohol without asking.

Juno looks at him like he should already be out the door, his boxers be damned. “We don't got all day, Nureyev, we gotta go _now_.”

Peter gets up, and walks to his closet. “I'm up, darling, now brief me on the details.”

* * *

 

It's surprising that Mars has a super weapon, and even more surprising that Juno swallowed a Martian mind reading pill.

“Why in the world-”

“The people were talking about how it could lead them to making mind reading pills for humans.” Juno looks away. “I don't wanna future like that, everybody knowing what's in my head. She sure wasn't happy about it, and told me that if she didn't need me, she woulda killed me. She even said that now she has to _take the long way around_. Whatever that means. Anyways, I was cornered, nowhere to go. MPs were all on my ass, so I swallowed it, got sent to the hospital, who knew that Martian stuff could be poisonous to humans, then I jumped through a whole lotta hoops.”

“Well, personally I'm glad you're alive.”

Juno snorts, the skin around his eyes crinkling, and that blue is breathtaking. “Think you might be the only one.”

Peter blushes, because _why does Juno get to go around looking that pretty, it just isn't fair_. “I did a job for Valles Vicky not too long ago.” He mentions, trying to distract himself. “She had noticed the amount of Martian artefacts missing, especially since she wanted to fence some of them herself. This, Miasma, is it? She must have you running around quite a bit for all of this. What I'm wondering is why she wants all of these artefacts for if she just wants to destroy Mars anyways. Why go to the trouble if no one is going to see it?”

Juno shakes his head noncommittally. “Miasma isn't the kinda woman who does stuff for other people.” Juno sighs. He shift uncomfortably like the subject makes him uncomfortable. “I think the only thing she cares about is what she wants. She _wants_ the Saffron pill, and the teleporters, and… everything.” He shakes his head again, like that will get rid of whatever he is thinking. “C'mon, we gotta go.”

* * *

 

“Oh Dahlia,” Peter continues. “He's going to be here shortly...hopefully. He has a tendency to get lost.” He switches his voice to soft, fond, which is quite easy to do when talking about Juno. “He does get so curious. It's adorable, really.”

“Yes,” Angstrom says, obviously aggravated. “He's adorable, so you've told me.”

“ _I used to smoke too, actually. Grew a few brain cells, you should try it sometime.”_ Is all they hear before Juno walks in the door, with those sharp eyes, and sharper wit that never disappoints. “Hey- he cuts himself off. “Duke.”

Angstrom holds out a hand to shake. “Dahlia Rose,” He grits out. “It's nice to meet you, your husband has told me _so much_ about you.”

Juno takes his hand, shaking it like it's covered in something dirty. “Nice to meet you too. We gonna get started?”

“Straight to the point as always, darling.” Nureyev says, and so the game starts.

* * *

 

Neither of them were expecting many things during this game. Such as Juno outright calling the cheating. Many other phenomenon stick out to Peter. Namely, the definition of Juno's shoulders in that suit. The cut of his jaw. The hot fire in his eyes when he calls cheating, and _oh,_ but Peter wants to be burned.

Other things stick out too, of course. Things that are more _professional_. His glances at Valencia,out of the corner of those striking eyes. The dirty look he gives Peter when he makes his move too quick.

Valencia is clearing away the cards and Juno's eyes go wide. “Mind if I bum a smoke?” He asks.

Valencia looks at him with distaste. “No, you-”

“Guess I'll just take yours, then.” He grabs the long cigarette out of her mouth, and then snaps it in half.

A long mechanical cry whines from Angstrom's ear, and he curses. He scrambles to get it out.

“Wow,” Juno snaps, loud and confident. Peter looks up at him from where he's sitting, and good _god_ , it should be illegal to look so divine. “I've done a lot in my life, but I've never had a cigarette that looks like a transmitter.”

Peter's heart picks up in his chest. He knows he should be getting his knife ready, but his arms have turned to jelly, and all he can think is _Juno Steel._ In a second he will help him. Threaten Angstrom, get the information. But right now he will see Juno in a suit, a grin bright and beautiful. Victory fresh on his cheeks. The light is in his curls, and his piercings shining like a moon at midnight.

* * *

 

Juno looks like he's had a revelation, and he glares at Miasma. He presses his gun snug against temple. He knows that Juno doesn't like himself very much, but _this_.

“You lay one finger on him, and this laser goes straight through my skull.” he says, and Peter feels his breath catch in his throat. Although that sentence makes his heart pound in his chest, just the sight of a gun near Juno's head makes him feel sick.

“And why would I care where you put your lasers, Juno Steel?”

Juno presses it harder against his head, like the only safe haven he knows is that dark cold promise that would be ahead if he just squeezed that trigger. Peter _wants_ to rip the gun away from him, make sure he never has that look in his eyes again, . “Because you need me,” He says defiantly, his voice cracks around the words. “I don't know why, but you _need me_ , and that put you in a really bad place, Miasma.”

“You wouldn't really do that, now would you.” Someone as small and frail looking as her really shouldn't put a ball of dread in his throat, yet she does, because he knows that Juno would. He would in a second, no hesitation.

Juno grits his teeth, a challenge rising in his shoulders like he wants Miasma to tempt him. “ _Fucking try me_.”


	6. Chapter 6

Over and over and  _ over _ . These tests just go on and on with no end in sight. Juno's exhausted. He's weak, he barely has the strength anymore to lift his head, delving back into his mind so quickly feels like hell. One of Miasma's goons punches Juno in the face. A few more like that, they might just break his his jaw. “Did you not hear me?! I said, do it again!”

“Sorry,” He says, his voice doesn't have enough strength to put real anger in his voice. “Was getting a little bored.”

Miasma slaps him herself this time, and Juno let's out a sob. This is embarrassing, degrading, violating. She doesn't even care, either. She looks almost bored. “You either read his mind or he loses his nose. Your choice, thief.”

“Rest, Juno.” Peter says softly. “I can wait.” He sounds sincere, but he knows that if he doesn't Miasma will do whatever it takes. 

Juno let's out a sobbing gasp. Just the thought of doing it again makes him nauseous, but he reaches. His mind closes around the door to Nureyev's mind. He dips in just enough to get exactly what is needed. “Blue star!” He says. He feels like his brain has been fried. Like all it is is now goop that a bug could drown in. Juno feels like he could drown in it too. 

“I'm gonna kill you.” He growls, tears streaming down his face. “I'm gonna fucking  _ kill you _ .”

Miasma snaps her fingers, and her goon punches him three times before she snaps her fingers again, and they stop. She grabs him by the chin. “Think before you speak, thief.” He spits and the blood lands on her forehead, drips down her nose. She scrunched up her face. “You're disappointing me, Steel.”

And Juno feels satisfaction at the fact that he's getting to her enough that she made a face. Juno throws his head back and laughs through his sobs. It lasts long enough that he has to catch his breath when he's done. “Trust me, you're not alone on that, pal.”

* * *

 

Juno relaxes for the first time in hours. He presses his face into Nureyev's shoulder and he squeezes him in his arms. “I'm sorry.” he mumbles weakly. 

“Shhh, Juno. It's okay.” He presses himself closer to Juno. He presses a few kisses to his jaw. “We will be fine.”

Juno breathes. He's so glad that he doesn't have to do all of this alone. He shouldn't be, he should feel like shit for dragging Nureyev into all this. Juno turns his face towards him. For a second everything is okay. Just Peter Nureyev's face in front of him, and the fact that he can hear him breathing clearly. The fact that he is alive, and not missing any appendages. 

Nureyev presses his forehead against Juno's. “Is it..” He hesitates. It's the closest thing to nervousness that he's ever heard from him. “Is it okay if I kiss you? I just-” There it is again. “I want to feel something human. Something… that makes me feel good. It's purely selfish, and if you don't-”

Juno snorts softly, but he doesn't have the energy for amusement. “Shut up, and kiss me. I...need it too.”

It's slow, the way they angle their heads just right, half closed eyes. Their lips connect, and Juno feels a weight lift from his shoulders. He wasn't lying earlier. He really did need this. A touch from another person that's soft and gentle. Juno puts himself in Peter's lap, feels his hands light on his waist. His tongue sinks into Juno's mouth. He keeps kissing him, and kissing him. It goes on forever, and Juno doesn't want to stop. It's the only good thing he's felt in days. But he does have to stop eventually. Juno pulls away, and means to tell him that he's too tired for any more, but his head falls onto Nureyev's shoulder. The last thing he hears is Peter Nureyev's soft chuckle before he passes out. 

When the torture happens again and again over the course of weeks, the acts of taking care of one another is something they get more accustomed to. They learn how to deal with one another's panic attacks, Juno's dissociative episodes, Nureyev’s times where he just shuts down. He just shuts his eyes hard, and shoves his head into Juno's shoulder, links his fingers between Juno's. 

They don't kiss again. It's an unspoken agreement between the two.  Juno doesn't know if it's because it holds too much emotions for the two of them, or because Nureyev didn't like it, or because Juno fell asleep on him right afterwards, or… 

Juno's too tired to think too much on it, just takes what he can get for now. 

One day he's angry and tired and  _ done _ , and he doesn't know why, but he blows up at Nureyev. He deals with it well, though. He's good at talking. Something Juno's never been good at. He hates the way he talks when he's angry like this. He sounds just like mom- _ Sarah _ . “I don't even know anything about you!” He snaps, his throat clogging up. His shoulders tight with fear and anger. 

“That's hardly my fault, Juno. You could have looked me up anytime. As I recall your friend was quite skilled in that department.” He doesn't sound angry, just upset. Unhappy. “I have to wonder why?”

Juno grits his teeth and looks away. “I don't have to explain myself to  _ you _ .”

They're quiet for a second. Nureyev gets closer to his face, so that he doesn't have anywhere else to look. His eyes are bright, beautiful. His voice is quiet, but Juno can't pretend that he didn't hear him. “You were scared, weren't you?” He runs a finger over Juno's knuckle, and he draws a sharp breath. “It must be hell. For someone as curious as you to have the answer to a question you crave, but too scared to seek it.”

“Shut up.” Juno snaps through grit teeth. “It doesn't matter right now anyway. Not like I can look you up from all the way down here.”

“But you  _ can _ . You have an uplink right here.” He  taps Juno's forehead. 

He sucks in air deep through his nose, and then let's it out. He  _ does _ want to know, has been itching to know since he first read the name on that piece of paper. Like a mystery he can't solve. Something just out of his reach. Like something he needs to have, and his fingers itching to feel it between his fingers Nureyev already said that he looked Juno up. He knows who he is. Or at least, knows what the ages old news said about his family back when shit hit the fan. 

“You can do it Juno, you have my permission. I…” He rubs at the back of his neck, and avoids looking Juno in the eyes. “I want you to. Look through my memories now. Then decide whether Peter Nureyev’s baggage is worth your time…or if you and I part ways, once all this is done. The choice is yours—but I'd rather you made it now.”

And he  _ has _ to. So he gives in. “Yeah, fine.”

They're quiet for a second before Nureyev says: “So how exactly does this work? Do we say a magic word, or…”

“Mostly you shut up and let me concentrate.”

He can see those sharp teeth as he smirks. Just enough to make Juno's heart skip a beat. “Of course.”

“And..” He scowls at how he has to phrase it. “Just clear your mind or whatever.”

And Juno sinks his consciousness into Peter Nureyev's mind. It's almost easy by now. 

* * *

 

Peter takes Juno's hands in his own, squeezes them, and waits anxiously. He knows when Juno actually starts to sift through his memories, because his shoulders relax, like he isn't trying anymore. Just focussing on what he's doing. 

The warmth of Juno's hands in his own feels magical and soft. Makes him hope and hope with that same feeling he gets whenever he's close to Juno. Juno starts bleeding. It's only a few trickles, and as much as Peter hates that Juno is bleeding in any way, but Juno told him once that the reason he comes back from experiments dripping in blood is because of the mind reading. They're in two different rooms when the experiments are going on, so it's not like they can see what is happening with the other. Peter just doesn't know how much blood is normal. And the way Juno looks right now, it doesn't seem like he can be the judge of that. Not that Peter would ever let him judge how much blood is  _ too much _ , anyways. He's never seemed to be good at taking care of himself. He's a bit of an idiot when it comes to himself. 

So he waits and waits. Until the blood has created a small puddle on the floor, and starts to splat. He knows that if he lost that much blood, then he wouldn't be happy about it. It's starting to worry him, and he starts driving himself in circles.

_ What if Juno gets locked up in his mind, swept away in the mass of thoughts and memories?  _

_ What if he dies?  _

_ What if he doesn't come back?  _

_ What if I am left alone?  _

_ What if I am left alone?  _

_ Peter Nureyev all by himself?  _

_ Again?  _

He's waited long enough. “Juno?” He says. He wipes at the blood and tries not to panic at how unresponsive he seems. “Juno? Come back. Juno?! Juno?!”

_ Breathe, Peter,  _ he thinks,  _ Juno's done this many times.  _

_ But he probably hasn't ever gone this far _ , a voice in his mind says,  _ reading your mind to see cards probably has nothing on looking through your memories _ . 

“Assistant?!” He calls. “Juno isn't doing well!” He breathes out hard through his nose, willing himself away from panic. He knows how to do it well, has been taught. But something about Juno always makes him feel different. Irrational sometimes. “Get in here!” He demands, he's holding him in his arms still trying to get him to wake up. “He could be dying right now! If he's dead then your progress will be gone, and then where will you be?!”

An assistant rushes in just then. They bend over Juno and Peter checks his pulse, his breathing. “Help him!” He snaps at them. “Look at him, he's-”

Juno's eyes finally start to flutter open. He groans, and he looks tired. “Fine.” But the assistant has an opening, still searching Juno for anything fatal. And Juno, bless him, is doing fine. 

“Thank you.” Peter says, standing up. Then he subtly shifts behind them, and as fast as he can, wraps an arm around their neck to suffocate them. Too quick for them to do anything about it. “For giving me  _ just  _ the opening I needed.”

Juno us just now able to open his eyes enough. He tries to pick him up. Maybe if he weren't malnourished and tired he would be able to, but he can't.  He tries so hard, and he doesn't have the time to keep trying when his opening is so small. At least with one of them on the outside, they can stand a chance. 

“I'll come back for you, Juno. I swear. I don't know what you saw in there.” He feels self conscious for just a moment, but he doesn't have that luxury right now. “But I'll come back. I promise I won't… disappear.”

 

They've been in that tomb for weeks, he learns once he is out.  _ Weeks _ of torture. A few days later, after he is prepared, he comes back like he said he would. 

* * *

 

His fingers flex on the gun. Juno's looking up at him, not knowing that he's the man that was just ordered to kill him. Juno has that look in his eyes. Resignation, like dying makes all this easier on him. Like he's expecting it, and part of him wants it. He shuts those pretty blue-gray eyes, the color of a sky. Breathes out through his nose, like the death ahead is relaxing. 

Peter flicks the gun in his hand, and shoots Miasma. She falls to the ground with an audible  _ thud _ . He pulls off the mask and grins at Juno. He's looking up at him with wonder in his eyes, and sighs. He's so different in here. When he first met Juno he was seductive and calculated. In here, where he hardly seems to have any hope, he's still beautiful, but with an undercurrent of something else. “If you would like to swoon and fall into my arms, now would be an excellent time.”

Juno steps forward, and for a second, Peter thinks he's going to kiss him. His heart skips a beat,but he just wrinkles his nose. “Don't get a fat head about it.”


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time to get sad, bucko

Juno wishes he was high right now. He hasn't wished that his veins were filled with the hardest drug he can think of in a while. It's probably been over two months. He got clean when he turned thirty, but it still gets him sometimes. Right now is one of those times. It doesn't matter though. In a few minutes it will all be over. Nureyev is on the other side of the door, and Juno keeps shooting at her. He takes inventory without meaning to. Broken ribs, cuts everywhere, nauseous, and his  _ eye.  _ His eye, god it hurts, but he thinks that nothing will hurt in a few minutes. Just nothing. The promise of death ahead, and he  _ wants.  _ He wants that promise of oblivion more than he has in a long time. He wants it all to be done, he wants the peace that comes with it. 

“We got a spare moment while her face is rebuilding itself.” Juno sighs. “Guess what?”

“ _ Juno,  _ **_please_ ** _. _ ”

He tips his head back, and feels it hit the wall. He feels like he can breathe clearly for the first time in years. “I always wanted to have something with you. Just  _ something,  _ anything. After that night when you were gonna turn me in I kept thinking about those days we coulda had together. We coulda done anything together. Hop from star to star, take down shitty governments…” Juno feels tears pricking at his eyes. Even so, he can't help but feel a little excited for everything to be done. “Waking up together. Just being with you. I wish we coulda done that, Nureyev.”

“ _ And we could still do it, Juno...I want to as well. _ ” he shoots at Miasma one last time. 

“Mind if I let you in on a little secret, Nureyev?” “ _ Juno… you idiot.”  _ It sounds like he might be crying. 

“You're the greatest thing that's ever happened to me.” he let's out the breath he's been holding in. “That's a load off, and it's true! You make me feel like...maybe it's all worth it... like, maybe life could be worth living.” 

“ _ Of course it is, but you have to be alive to do it _ .”

A few more minutes, Miasma talking to him, trying to convince him not to do it. And the egg of Purus cracks through. And then a scream comes off from it. Juno melts against the wall, and waits for it to take him away. 

And he waits, and waits. Craves that satisfying ripping of him apart, something he can feel “ _ in his every cell _ ”.

But it doesn't. Juno waits, sees that Miasma is gone. He feels disappointment well up inside him, and then feels sick at how badly he was anticipating it.

For a few minutes, everything Juno does is robotic. 

Nureyev is slamming his fists against the door, until he opens it, and steps out. Juno falls to his knees, and Nureyev catches him, sits with him as Juno explains everything. He's angry and tired and kind of jealous. 

The next parts are sort of a blur. He knows that he is taken to a clinic in Hyperion city. He knows that Nureyev doesn't let go of his hand until they're inside the clinic and Juno lays down, and that he keeps looking in Juno's direction like he needs to make sure he's really there. It lasts a few days for them. For Juno's eye surgery to get taken care of. For the two of them to be less malnourished, and less dehydrated. Nureyev is still there a lot. He makes sure Juno drinks as much water as he's supposed to, makes him eat as much as he can. The first time he tries to eat, he eats too much at once and throws it back up. It reminds him of the times in Oldtown when he and Ben would go days without eating, no money to buy anything, and one memorable time they had stolen a bunch of money and bought enough food to feed them for a week, and they ate it all that day. They ended up throwing most of it up, they made fun of each other for days, and yet Juno can't think to complain about that at all right now. 

He stops thinking about that because he needs to, and he looks at Nureyev. He remembers the park in Halcyon, where there were a few trees. They were so pretty. He remembers when it was fall, and some of the leaves would fall on the ground. 

Peter Nureyev is sleeping in a chair, his head against a cabinet. His hands are in his lap, tipped downward like those leaves in autumn. He doesn't know why he's remembering the park right now, but Peter Nureyev is so beautiful right now that he can't seem to care. He could look at him forever, watch the rise and fall of his chest, the part of his full pink lips. 

Even after everything he's still here. He's solid and steady. He's Peter Nureyev, and the fact that he's there makes everything so much easier. 

 

He wants Juno to stay. Here in Hyperion city. Live there with him. 

“We're on the edge of a brave new future, Juno, it's exciting isn't it?”

But Juno doesn't want to think about that right now, doesn't want to feel doubts well up inside him like a sickness. He just wants Peter Nureyev, the taste and sound of him, his breath against Juno's. His hands on his body. “Yeah,” Juno whispers, he puts his hands on his shoulders to keep him steady as he lifts to his toes as brushes his lips against his ear. “I can think of something else exciting too.”

“Oh?” Nureyev mutters back. His voice is trying to be playful and seductive, but it's shaky. Honest. “Do tell.”

So Juno kisses him, and kisses him until he feels dizzy and loose. And then he drops to his knees, unbuttoning Nureyev's pants as he looks up and whispers just loud enough for him to hear. “I think my actions’ll do the trick.”

Nureyev is looking down at him like he just saw a moon for the first time. And Juno looks back up, knowing that the moon wasn't worth seeing. 

 

Peter is tracing his scars like a map of stars. One that glides from his neck to his collarbone. Some of the ones that his mom gave him. The self harm scars that are straight and parallel cross over his arms, his thighs. He traces them all like there's nothing he'd rather do. One trails up his neck,and makes Juno shiver. Peter moves so he presses against his jaw so that Juno faces him. He doesn't say anything, just looks in his eyes for a little while. 

For a second, Juno feels more naked, which is idiotic. They've been naked with each other for a while now, they'd just gotten done with a lusty, rigorous round of sex, after all. Yet this feels so different. Juno feels  _ seen _ , in a way he's never felt before. His ears heat up, and he doesn't understand this at all. He feels so weird, but so happy, so complete, that he wants to cry. Instead, he shuts his eyes hard, and grips Nureyev's hand. 

His voice breaks when he speaks. “Nureyev…”

“Juno.” he says it quiet and soft. 

Juno's just about to tell him, talk to him about it all, but Peter puts his hand on Juno's face, and keeps looking into his eyes. “You know, Juno, call me a fool if you like, but I think I may have… fallen in love with you.”

“I…” A silly smile breaks across his face (why the hell is he even happy right now?), and he can't help it. “If you're a fool, then that makes two of us.”

He laughs, and it makes tears well up in Juno's eyes. He's never been this happy before. Never felt like everything is okay for once in his life.

Nureyev falls asleep, relaxed and loose. His teeth peek out from between his lips, and his hair is a tussled mess. He's so gorgeous, that Juno hates himself a bit more. 

And he leaves the detective behind, the smell of him sunk deep into his skin. He goes to a hotel, and stays the night there, drinking until he can't see straight, and then more until he passes out. 

He could have been happy, even if it's just for a little while, but he shouldn't get to have happiness. He should get this:  his heartbreak so tangible that his chest hurts, his body shaking with the weight of his tears. It hurts so  _ so bad _ . He feels like it'll go on forever, and it just might. 

Looks like he finally got what he deserves. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments make me so so happy!!!


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Drug use, sex talk, etc

“Maria? I like that name.” Juno sighs. He flicks his eyes to the shelf. He can see it  _ right there _ , the golden skull that's worth more than Juno's life, and probably more than the enormous amount of money his client will give him. 

“Juno is a pretty name too,” Maria says, and Juno's heart twists at how similar it sounds to Nureyev's words. 

Juno laughs, soft and breathless. “Oh thanks, but I'd much rather talk about you.” He leans in close enough that Maria can probably feel heat radiating off him, and she visibly shivers when Juno trails his fingers down her arm. “And speaking  _ of _ you, I think you look really pretty.” the words in his throat taste like something Peter would say. 

She has to clear her throat three times before she can make a coherent sentence. “You wanna get dinner with me?”

Juno gets up and walks around the room. “'fraid I can't, sorry.” He turns so that Maria has a clear view of his ass, and the way his dress cuts down his back, almost too low. He can hear her swallow as he starts messing with things in the room. “I like you a lot, though,” Juno continues. He starts walking back towards Maria. She's wrapped around his finger so well, that Juno could probably ask her for all the money in her bank account, and she would give it willingly. He sits in Maria's lap, and hums when he feels hands stroke his back. 

“You move quick, don't you?” She says shakily. 

Juno holds up the skull, dances it in his fingers. “I don't like playing games. I mean, I'm not the kind of lady to deny myself what I want.” He says it close to her ear, his breath hot on her neck. Juno leans back, let's himself be supported by their legs. One of the woman's hands move to his thigh. 

“Hm, can I have this? Something to remember you when I have to leave.” it's subtle. She probably doesn't even know what he's talking about. 

“Yeah, anything.”

Juno hums happily, and leans over to put it in his purse. Normally Juno would be enjoying this. A beautiful woman with her hands roaming his body, and wanting him too much to deny him an extremely expensive trinket. He would have already fallen in bed with this woman, but all this kind of hurts. Makes his heart twist, and makes him yearn for someone else. 

“Oh, look at the time.” Juno says, looking at the cheap clock on the wall. 

The woman- _ Maria _ , holds Juno tight against her. “You don't have to leave already, do you?” 

Normally Juno would take one of those hands, and lick the tips of her fingers. He would smirk at her, and say, “I can make time.” 

Instead Juno gets off her lap, and grabs his purse. He sighs softly, pressing his fingers into Maria's collarbone and tracing her. She's looking at Juno so desperate and needy. Usually that would make Juno feel happy, and he'd be glad that he could make someone resort to this kind of neediness. He thinks of Peter instead. The fact that Juno wouldn't be able to resist  _ him _ , and Juno would be the one whining and pleading. He looks away quickly. “We can do whatever you want next time, okay?” Juno says as he forces a smile. “I just can't be late for this, bye!”

 

Peter doesn't blame Juno for leaving. He had every reason to. Juno is a scrappy, resourceful man, he could have gotten out of Miasma's tomb long ago. If it weren't for Peter's tie to this planet, he could have left, not giving a care for what happened in his wake. Peter hates what he's done. Then the fact that  _ Peter asked him to stay on this wretched planet.  _ He cost Juno an eye, and his desire to live for a period of time, and he had the gall to ask for  _ more.  _

Peter lays his forehead on the table. 

Buddy Aurinko presses her hand against his. “I know how it feels to have your heart broken, Charles.” She tells him. 

He feels sick at the thought of having to deal with this kind of pain for as long as she hasn't seen Vespa. He wraps his arms around his chest and sighs. It hurts so bad, but he can't say that he regrets spending a single second with that man. 

 

Juno is getting really tired of this shit. Day in, and day out he think a about what he did to Nureyev. As his mind reels back from the hole of misery that had opened from being stuck in Miasma's tomb or birthing chamber or…  _ whatever,  _ he has more of a mind to think about what happened. That's not really a good thing. 

He needs to stop. He never used to think this way. He hasn't dwelled on something like this in months. He hates being stuck on things. That isn't who he is anymore. He drowns it all away in shitty drinks, thievery, and clubs. He doesn't have time be in love. 

Not that he  _ is.  _ Just that he doesn't have time for it. 

When he sees a guy not too far away, who looks a little like Nureyev, his heart jumps, he almost runs over just to hug him (because besides what he tells himself he misses Nureyev  _ so much _ ), before he turns around, and instead of his hooked nose and sharp teeth, he sees some other guy that doesn't look much like him. 

Juno thinks that he's got to put a stop to it. He hasn't had sex in  _ weeks,  _ because of Peter. That's what he needs to do. He needs to get fucked hard and thorough, and then forget that the whole thing ever happened. He needs to bury his guilt in sex and dancing and clubs. That's  _ it.  _ No attachments, or any of the romantic stuff in between. 

So he goes to the closest bar. It's a little expensive for his taste, but it's his money, and it's not like he's really using it. 

 

He swirls his drink in his cup. The man next to him just bought it for him. He's getting really tired of hearing this guy talk. The pill he took earlier should really just  _ kick in.  _ All this guy knows how to do us blab relentlessly about his money. Juno already hates rich people, he's just reinforcing why. 

This guy really think Juno owes him something. He doesn't owe him shit. It's really starting to piss him off. 

Juno finally says fuck it, and starts dancing. He can feel a number of eyes on him. The pill finally kicks in, and all of his anxiety melts away. He feels like he can finally breathe clearly. A smile stretches across his face when he feels someone's hand splay along his stomach. 

Maybe he can fill that hole Nureyev dug with just things like this. Drugs, bad company, and shitty drinks. 

Might not be healthy, but hey, 

It's something. 

That's more than what he gave Nureyev. 


	9. Chapter 9

Juno's walking out of that guy's apartment. Normally he's very happy to look this way. A very obvious “I got laid last night” Look. Hickeys line his neck, and he didn't bother to fix his hair. He just grabbed his clothes from last night, said a quick goodbye, and left. 

 

Juno makes his way back to the hotel. He needs a shower. He feels… dirty. Tainted. 

 

He hates this. Last night, he thought that all of his problems could be solved with someone fucking him hard, with no regard for his safety. Instead he just woke up in the morning, with a sick feeling in his stomach. 

 

The streets on this planet are desolate. Cold in a way that has nothing to do with the weather. He knows there are shops open, and such, but he still feels so alone. The vendors are bustling with people, but Juno feels as though he's the only person on the planet. That feeling forms itself into a sick ball of dread in his stomach. 

 

He unlocks the door to his hotel room, and steps inside. He gets into the bathroom, before stripping down, and getting in the shower. He doesn't wait for it to get warm, just gets in the cold water, and let's it bite at his body until it turns warm. 

 

A sob builds in his throat, and he lets it loose in the shower. There's no one here to judge him, and he feels the need to throw a pity party. 

 

He's such an  _ idiot.  _ He wishes he could turn back time. He wishes that he'd never even met Nureyev. That way, neither of them would have gotten hurt. But he did meet him, and there's nothing he can do to change that. 

 

He wants to go back and talk to him, tell him that he was stupid for leaving in the middle of the night. Beg him for forgiveness ask him to punch him, kick him, berate him. Anything that gives him what he deserves. 

 

He gets out of the shower, and he doesn't bother putting on new clothes. He doesn't have any plans, and even if he did, he really doesn't have the energy to get up and do anything. 

 

\--

 

Peter is looking for hard liquor, but he steers clear of Absinthe. That expensive alcohol that Juno drank without asking. He can almost see it everytime he looks at it. Juno, with his elbows on the table, his hair drawing attention to that neck that always made Peter's mouth water. A smirk on his pretty, pierced lips, and a calculating look in his eyes. 

 

No, Peter can't stand to think of it. Even months later, it still hurts like a fresh knife wound. He turns his attention to the other alcohol. Juno drank a lot. Peter wants something that will get him drunk quickly, but Juno had that taste. He goes for scotch. He'd never seen Juno drink it, but he's sure the lady had emptied a bottle or two of it. 

 

“Oh, it's you!” A shrill, familiar voice calls out. Peter turns, nothing short of aghast. A short woman, with curly brown hair, and heart shaped glasses comes bustling over to him. “You're the guy who drove me and the boss home!” her voice is shrill and loud. Filled with energy. 

 

“Ah, of course.” Peter says softly, trying to lull her into a sense of calm.  “How lovely to see you, Rita.” The world must be playing some sort of sick joke. So much is reminding him of Juno today. 

 

“And you too, Mista… Aw sorry, musta forgotten your name.” she tells him. 

 

“Not to worry, Miss Rita. We only knew each other for an hour or so.” he pushes his hand out, a slow and open motion. “Rex Glass.”

 

She takes his hand. It's a bit sweaty, but nothing he hasn't experienced before. “Yeah! It's nice ta see ya again. Hey I'm free for the rest of the day, you wanna watch a movie at my place? I got this one! Oh you'd love it. There's this person that acts a lot like Mista Steel. Y’know, all grumpy and blah!! Y'know?!” She stuffs something in her mouth. Peter can see the bag of some sort of chip in her purse. “What happened that night anyway? He never wanted to talk about you for some reason.”

 

Peter's heart twists in his chest, and he looks at the ground. “Yes, you know, I would love to watch a movie with you. I've nothing planned for the rest of the day anyway.” he deflects it, but that doesn't make he lead ball in his chest get any lighter. 

 

He could use a distraction anyway, and it's only one night, where they're only going to watch a movie. 

 

The two of them go over to Rita's house, and they decide to watch a new film that had just come out a few weeks ago. Peter himself doesn't really watch movies very often, but he feels as though he needs a kind person for the night. And Rita (who's always seemed to know more than she's supposed to) seems to catch onto that, if the way she hugs him is any reflection. 

 

They watch together, sharing a bowl of some sort of cheese snack that Peter has never heard of. Rita's couch is a bit uncomfortable, but it looks adorable in Rita's living room. 

 

The credits roll, and Rita stuffs the snack in her mouth. “So what happened between you and the boss lady?”

 

Peter chokes on his own. It's been a while since anyone has been able to catch him that off guard. Well, besides Juno. He's always seemed quite good at being striking and blunt, while also being so very handsome. “Nothing, really.” He lies. As if he could ever think Juno underneath him in that hotel room, and the feeling of those gorgeous lips on his own as  _ nothing _ . He should be over Juno by now. It's been months. Anyone else, and he would have gotten over them in the next week. 

 

Rita looks like she doesn't believe it. 

 

They try to steer away from that topic. They talk into the night, and watch a movie until Peter falls asleep on the couch. 

  
  


Peter has always been a heavy sleeper. There was never any training him out of that. He couldn't. He had always wished that it was a part of him he could rectify, but to no avail. 

 

There's no sleeping when he hears the bustling of the door slam, and a curse. The sound of it feels so surreal, that Peter doesn't even think it's reality. Just part of his dreams that are so often riddled with  _ that  _ voice. 

 

But then there's that same loud, unmistakable voice. “Rita? You in here?” And Peter's eyes snap open. His heart pounds in his chest. 

 

The said girl comes through, still in her pyjamas, walking past the couch that Peter had slept on. 

 

“Mista Steel! I'm so happy ta see you! I didn't think you were comin’ till later, but this gives us time to do make up!”

 

Peter looks up, and he can see him. Juno Steel. Lady without a home. Thief extraordinaire. Witty and blunt and rude and petulant and  _ beautiful.  _ His hair is tied back, and he's in sweatpants, and a crop top with slippers. He looks like he'd just gotten out of bed, and yet he is still  _ stunning.  _ He takes the breath right out of Peter's lungs just by standing there. 

 

“Ladies night, Rita. We got that stupid show. I keep telling you Elaine is gonna die. It's the next plot point. Then everyone's gonna get all sad, and shit.” 

 

“Juno?”

 

Peter doesn't even realize the name left his lips until it already had. 

 

The lady himself looks up from where he was talking to Rita, and they lock eyes. Juno has one that striking, lovely blue, and the other is a cybernetic eye. All different shades of purple. Even if the eye isn't his original, there's Juno's face staring back at him. That's _ him.  _

 

Rita intterupts the moment with a dry cough. “You wanna reschedule ladies night, Mista Steel?”


	10. Juno's a loser who sucks when trying to talk about his feelings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fuck I haven't updated in forever. Please forgive me.

Juno can barely force the words out. “Yeah. That's-yeah.” He can't take his eyes off Nureyev. He's beautiful. Just as beautiful as the day he left him. 

 

Rita coughs awkwardly again. “I'm gonna get some breakfast from that restaurant downtown. You want anything, boss?”

 

“I'm good.” His voice sounds so goddamn small. He can hear the door close. He takes a breath. He has to say something. Something has to happen. There's so much in his mind. So many words to choose from, if he could just  _ get them out.  _

 

He opens his mouth, ready to force something out. His breath comes out as a sob, and suddenly all the words he's had jumbled in his brain leave. Tears start to slide down his face, and he rubs at the them with his fists. He wants to stop crying. This isn't how he wants Peter to see him. All puffy eyes, nose running, and hiccuping sobs. He wants to look composed and sexy. He wants to talk to Peter like a goddamn human being, and tell him to punch him in the face, or break his jaw, or kick him or  _ something.  _ But instead all he can get out are these stupid sobs, and tears and “I'm so sorry.”

 

He feels a hand touch his neck, and he jumps at the feeling. He guesses it's a good thing that Peter won't need any prompting. He's going to pull his hand back, slap Juno across the face, and it'll be exactly what he deserves. 

 

The hand travels to his face, and he gently turns Juno's head up to look at him. Gentle and soft has never been handed to him before. It's fucking  _ weird,  _ and Juno continues to anticipate the blow he knows is coming. Juno just keeps his eye closed, bracing himself. 

 

“Juno.” He says all breathless and awestruck, like Juno fell from the goddamn stars. “You did nothing wrong.”

 

Juno opens his eye, tears still making their way down his face. And Nureyev's face is so damn close. Juno could kiss him if he could bring himself to, but he won't. He can't. He's the same man that he was when Juno left. His hooked nose, and sharp teeth. All angles and eyes so damn bright. His hair is messy with bed head, and his glasses are crooked. He's the most beautiful man in the whole universe. 

 

He pulls a handkerchief from out of his pocket, and Juno can't help but give a laugh, scratchy and broken with tears. He's always had so much in his pockets. Makes him a better thief than Juno maybe, even though he's the one who was only a thief until he turned nineteen. Nureyev wipes the tears from Juno's eyes, and under his nose. He feels relieved, and yet he doesn't know why. “I apologize.” Nureyev says. 

 

Juno's about to tell him that he should be the one apologizing. It's  _ his fault.  _ But Peter just keeps wiping at his face, and Juno's still got those hiccuping sobs to fight down. He'll have a hard time putting anger in his voice. “It should be a sin to make such a pretty lady cry.”

 

Juno feels his face heat up like a teenager. “You're an-an idiot.” he tells Nureyev, even though  _ Juno's _ the one who feels like an idiot. 

 

Once Juno has calmed down a little, with the help of Nureyev, and his soothing, strong hands, he voices the question he's been wondering all this time. “Do you wanna talk about it?”

 

Peter takes his hand, and looks at him with more adoration than Juno can take. Juno looks away. “Only if you would like to.”

 

Juno realizes how close they are. Nureyev has always been handsy, and now is no different. He still has one hand on Juno's cheek, the other on his shoulder. It would be so easy to put Nureyev's hand on his stomach, kiss him with the heat that he wants to, knowing Nureyev would reciprocate every step of the way, and just say “not now”.

 

Instead, Juno takes the hand from his cheek. He strokes it once. He's missed the feeling of Peter's hands. “I'd rather not talk about this in Rita's apartment. I'm staying at a hotel not too far away, you wanna go?”

 

“That sounds lovely, Juno.” 

 

The way he says his name. Juno doesn't know if he loves it, or if it hurts. It's gentle. It sounds like he loves-

 

Like he  _ likes _ Juno a lot. 

  
  


Once they get back to Juno's apartment, Juno heads straight for the whiskey. He grabs it from the cabinet, and takes a strong gulp. “You want some?” He offers. 

 

“I'm alright, thank you.” Peter tells him, and he takes in the room. Junos never really cared much about cleaning up the hotels he stays at. Whenever he needs to leave, he simply gathers his things, throws away what's unnecessary, and leaves. The most cleaning he does is wash dishes so that the housekeeping doesn't have to, and move his trash into the bin. 

 

He sort of regrets that now, in retrospect. There are clothes strung across the floor, including underwear. His suitcases are left open, and his are scattered everywhere. Expensive knicknacks, pencils, papers, nail polish, makeup supplies. 

 

It's embarrassing. Like he's a shitty teenager, who doesn't know how to take care of himself. 

 

He looks at Nureyev for a look of disgust or regret, and instead he sees those lips twitch into a smile. Juno would call it fond, but he's probably seeing things. Maybe he's making fun of him. 

 

Juno sits at the little island in the kitchen, and Nureyev takes a seat in front of him. No matter how much Juno's eyes try to avoid him, it doesn't change the fact that he's  _ right there.  _ Right in front of him. That small smile has turned into a relaxing one. Juno can see an undercurrent of nervousness there. He wouldn't be much of a con without his ability to read people. But then, dissecting Nureyev's real emotions from his act used to be so difficult. Now it feels like second nature. There's something else in his expression, though. Something that wasn't there when Juno met him. 

 

“I…” Juno starts. He looks down at the table, to avoid his expression. “I'm so sorry, Nureyev.” He can feel his throat clog up, but he fights it down, and takes another long sip of whiskey. It tastes awful, and yet still much too good for Juno. “I shouldn't have left like that. I should have told you. Talked to you. You  _ asked me _ if I wanted to stay, and I…” he shakes his head. He gets quieter. He doesn't like any of this, but Nureyev deserves to hear the truth. “I wasn't-I'm  _ not  _ worthy of having what I would have with you. And I'd ruin you, Nureyev. That's what I do. I tarnish people, make them get killed, and I could never do that to you.”

 

Peter sighs. He twines his fingers in Juno's. “Juno, listen to me.” it isn't an order, it's a plea. He lifts his eye on be perfectly level with Nureyev's.

 

“Juno, I know this may be hard for you to swallow, but you're being an idiot.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comment, coward.


End file.
